250 SKY-LARK, 
Larks remain on the northern side of the Baltic; on Heligoland as 
many as 15,000 have been caught in a single night, and immense 
numbers are taken on passage, as well as in winter, in the south of 
Europe. The Sky-Lark visits Northern Africa, where a few breed 
on the slopes of the Atlas; its migrations extending regularly to 
the Canaries and occasionally to Madeira. An example was shot 
at Hamilton, Bermudas, on June 12th 1850; while the importation 
of this species to the United States, Australia and New Zealand is 
notorious. 
The nest, often commenced in the first half of April, and placed 
on the ground in a hollow among growing crops, or under the 
shelter of some tuft, clod of earth &c., is made of dry grass, with a 
finer lining of the same. The 3-5 eggs are dull grey, thickly 
mottled and often zoned with olive-brown: measurements ‘94 by 
‘68 in. Incubation lasts fourteen days, and two broods are generally 
produced in the season. The food consists of insects and worms, 
with seeds of various kinds during the colder portion of the year, 
and some grit to aid digestion. When the germination of wheat 
is delayed, and before the leaf is “in two blades,” the Sky-Lark 
does harm by biting the plantlet; but sentimental persons who 
own no wheat consider the bird’s song to be ample compensation 
for the injury to farmers. Every one must be familiar with the 
rapturous thrill of the Sky-Lark, as, rising from the ground, it soars, 
still singing, until almost lost to sight; but it sometimes utters its 
song while on the ground, and, exceptionally, I have seen a bird— 
unmistakably of this species and not’ a Tree-Pipit—giving forth its 
joyous carol while swaying in the wind on the topmost branch of a 
tree some twenty feet in height. Like other members of the family, 
the Sky-Lark is fond of dusting itself to get rid of insect parasites. 
The adult in spring has the general plumage of the upper parts 
warm yellowish-brown, streaked with dark brown, especially on the 
crown and back; over the eye a buffish-white streak; quills dark 
brown with buff outer margins and greyish-white tips, bastard 
primary very small ; tail-feathers with dark brown centres and tawny 
edges, except the outer pair, which are chiefly white, while the 
second pair have white outer webs; under parts buffish-white, 
streaked with dark brown on the throat, breast and flanks; bill 
dark brown above, paler below; legs yellowish-brown. The dimen- 
sions vary greatly: average length 7°3 in.; wing 4°3 in. The sexes 
are alike in plumage, but the female has shorter wings. In the 
young bird the feathers are broadly tipped with buff; in autumn 
both young and old have a tawny tint. 
